# NTSB CEN13LA265: Air Tractor AT-301, N23257, Lyons, KS, May 8, 2013 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 8, 2013, 16:00 local (21:00 UTC) - Place: Lyons, KS - Coordinates: 38.328334, -98.209724 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.3283&lon=-98.2097&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 13, 2014 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 86848 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN13LA265 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/86848/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=86848 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA265 ## Probable cause The pilot's diverted attention after the door hinge failed and a piece of door glass struck the pilot, resulting in the airplane's descent into the crops and impact with terrain. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Attention/monitoring: attention](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021510): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-301, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021510/cases.md?model=0390103), [All aircraft, 226 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021510/cases.md) - [Doors: passenger/crew doors](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035210): Aircraft › Aircraft structures · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-301, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035210/cases.md?model=0390103), [All aircraft, 86 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035210/cases.md) - [Windows-windshield system: door windows](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035630): Aircraft › Aircraft structures · Damaged/degraded; cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-301, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035630/cases.md?model=0390103), [All aircraft, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035630/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-301, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md?model=0390103), [All aircraft, 994 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120) (defining event); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-301, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120/sequence.md?model=0390103), [All aircraft, 1,074 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120/sequence.md) ## Analysis While leveling off the airplane at the start of an aerial application run, the pilot heard a loud bang and was struck on the shoulder by a piece of the right door's acrylic glass. The pilot was momentarily distracted after being struck, and the airplane settled into the crops. The crops slowed the airplane, and the pilot could not get the airplane to climb before it impacted terrain. An examination of the airplane revealed that the right door's hinge was cracked at the front and rear attach points. The broken hinge allowed the door to open in flight. ## Factual narrative On May 8, 2013, about 1600 central daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-301 airplane, N23257, impacted terrain near Lyon, Kansas. The commercial pilot was not injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The airplane was registered to R&B Flying and operated by Ag Air Service under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 as an aerial application flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated without a flight plan.In a telephone interview with the pilot, he stated that while leveling off the airplane at the start of an aerial application run, he heard a loud bang. A portion of the right door's acrylic glass broke and struck the pilot's shoulder. The pilot was momentarily distracted from being struck and the airplane descended into the crops. The impact with the crops slowed the airplane down even after the pilot applied full power. He could not get the airplane to climb and it impacted terrain in an adjacent field. An examination of the airplane by the responding Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the aft hinge of the right door was cracked at the front and rear attach points, and the right door had opened in flight. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N23257](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N23257), registered now, S/N 301-0371 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AIR TRACTOR INC AT-301 - Registry model: [Air Tractor AT-301](https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-301) (registry code 0390103) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney R-1340-AN-1](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r-1340-an-1) (registry code 51612, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 301-0371 - Engines: P & W R-1340-AN-1 600 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Operator: R&B Flying, doing business as Ag Air Service Inc - Registered owner: R&B Flying - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Departed: Lyons, KS - Destination: Lyons, KS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 54; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review December 15, 2012; seat: single; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 1,445 total, 541 in this make and model, 22 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 170° at 13 knots, gusting 24 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 77 °F, dew point 59 °F - Altimeter: 29.87 inHg - Observed at: KHUT, 23 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20130508018039A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130508018039A), May 8, 2013: Air Tractor Inc AT-301, Lyons, KS, Substantial damage. The pilot was entering the field from the west to begin a spraying run. As he was leveling off the right cockpit door opened, startling the pilot. The… ## Other investigations on N23257 (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB FTW85LA298](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW85LA298), Jul 25, 1985: Air Tractor AT301 (N23257), Bonita, LA, substantial damage ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 22, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=86848. 4.4 MB in all. - Record of Conversation: Pilot (item 1, .PDF, 52 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40407333&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%3A%20Pilot-Master.PDF - Photo 1: Right side of airplane (FAA photo) (item 2, .PDF, 2.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40407375&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%3A%20Right%20side%20of%20airplane%20(FAA%20photo)-Master.PDF - Photo 2: Closeup of the hinge attachment points (FAA photo) (item 3, .PDF, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40407466&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%3A%20Closeup%20of%20the%20hinge%20attachment%20points%20(FAA%20photo)-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.